Press for fiber boards



April 19, 1932. H. P. LAUSSUCQ 1,854,341

PRESS FOR FIBER BOARDS Filed March 19, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 35 ,1 i lApril 19, 1932. H. P. L LAUSSUCQ 1,354,341

PRESS FOR FIBER BOARDS FiledMar ch 19, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 a z 5 W 9WM 5 WM 3 w J1 0W April 19, 1932. H. P. 1.. LAUSSUCQ 1,354,341

PRESS FOR FIBER BOARDS Filed March 19, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 par April19, 1932. H. P. L. LAUSSUCQ PRESS FOR FIBER BOARDS 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed March 19,

wm wl vlllllfrlfllldr '1 II II I 1 2 Patented Apr. 1%,, 2932 UNITEDSTATES PATENT HENRI P. L. LAUSSUCQ, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORTO BIRDSBORO STEEL FOUNDRY & MACHINE COMPANY, OF BIRDSBORO,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA PRESS FOR FIBER BOARDSApplication filed March 19, 1931. Serial .'Np. 523,850.

as pressed contain a high moisture content and correspondingly lack incohesion and hardness. They require drying under pressure. My inventionrelates to a new drying press for these boards.

One purpose of my invention is to equalize the pressure upon the boardsin'such a press in order that the thickness and density of all of theboards of the same fiber content may be the same;

A further purpose is to provide a press in which all variable pressuresupon the individual sheet caused by the weight of the platens and otherparts of the press areeliminated.

A further purpose is to, provide a press by which any desired pressuremay be uniformly applied to the sheets containedin the press. A furtherpurpose is to provide a novel press'having a series of movable platensand means for lifting the platens into spaced relation, for theinsertion and removal of the sheets, and to provide means forcounterbalancing the weight of the platens, whereby the weight of eachplaten may be individually counterbalanced, thus insuring that thepressure upon the boards, or sheets, shall be determined and controlledby the press and shall be uniform whether the board or sheet bepositioned between platens located at the bottom, or top, of the pile ofplatens, avoiding variations in the th ckness of the finished sheets.

A furthenpurpose is to provide pressure responsive devices such ashydraulic jacks for supporting, or counterbalancing, the individualplatens.

/ A further purpose is to hydraulically support the platens from acommon source of pressure supply, whereby a uniform pressure may beapplied to the platens for counterbalancing the weight of the latter.

A further purpose is to provide each platen with two counterbalancingmeans, which support the platen at diametrically opposite pointsthereof, for supporting the platen in a balanced horizontal position.

A further purpose is to provide a press of the character described withlinks between adjacent platens for limiting the tilting movement of theplatens, and for limiting the distance the platens may be separated fromeach other.

A further purpose is to suitably guide the platens and hold them invertical alignment.

A further purpose is to press the platens together wholly or partiallyby hydraulic pressure or by gravity, so that whole or partial release ofthe hydraulic pressure will permit the platens to be lifted andseparated freely or will proportionally reduce the pressure applied tothe platens when it is desired to subject the sheets to only a slightpressure.

A further purpose is to provide the press with pressure devices, in theform of hydraulic cylinders for. applying pressure to the movable head.

A further purpose is to equalize the hydraulic pressure over theplatens, whatever the pressure.

A further purpose is to provide means for applying a heating medium suchas steam to the platens and for circulating the heat uniformlythroughout the entire pile of the platens,'by locatlng the inletconnections to alternate platens in vertical alignment, so

of the press and arrange the'pipe connections to form a criss-crosscirculation of the heating medium through the alternate platens.

A further purpose is to arrange the manifolds in pairs of differentheights according,

to the height in the pile of the platens to be served by them.

Further purposes of my invention will appear in the specification and inthe claims.

'My. invention relates not only to the methods disclosed but toapparatus by which the methods may be carried out.

Of the various structures by which my invention may be carried out Ihave preferred to illustrate but one, selecting a form which ispractical, reliable and efi'ective and which at the same time wellillustrates the prin of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 8'8 of Flgure 1. 1

In the accompanying drawings like reference characters refer to likeparts.

The initial pressing operation upon wall board and other pulp boardproducts leaves the sheet or board moist, relatively soft and with verylittle cohesion. In order to produce the commercial board it istherefore necessary to dry the sheet or board and the latter is quitedesirably compressed during the drying to condense the product as themoisture is withdrawn. Some of the board made is highly compressed. I

This operation for commercial reasons must be performed in stacks orpiles of sheets or boards and has been complicated by the fact that theweight of the drying platens has been progressively transmitted to thesheets or boards so that a sheet near the bottom of a pile has beensubjected to a much higher pressure than that. which has been brought tohear u on a sheet high in the pile resulting in a di erence in thicknessand a corresponding reverse difference in density of the sheetsproduced.

My invention is intended separately to equalize or compensate for thepressure of the individual platens and separately to apply a pressure toall of the platens at the top of the pile and thus progressively andequally to the sheets between the platens.

' This makes the pressure uniform throughout and permits the amount ofuniform pressure to be controlled wholly by control of the pressure uponthe top of the pile.

My invention further does not interfere with but facilitates the readyand coincident separation of all the platens for loading pur-' poses.

In my preferred form 11 represents a drying press, adapted for dryingand pressing boards or sheets of fiber, which are formed the boards orsheets.

upon another machine and then inserted between the platens of the press.The boards or sheets to be treated are often thin but the platens whenin the open position are spaced apart far enough to permit readyinsertion of the boards or sheets, whatever their thick HESS.

The press 11 rests upon a base 12, which is intended to be embedded inconcrete, or otherwise secured in a fixed position. Rigidly connectedwith the base are upright sup ports or guides 13 which carry at their upper ends an upper frame member or top 14. The supports or guides areflanged at 15 to engage with the base and upper frame mem- -ber and arerigidly held against them by means of nuts 16.

A movable press head 17 is slidably mounted upon the guides and issupported upon and elevated bycmeans of four plungers 18, preferably ofthe hydraulic type. Each plunger is moved by the fluid content of acylinder 19, supported upon the base. The i as Vertical guide bars 22,rigidly secured to the base 12 and to the under surface of the upperframe member 14, and pass freely through apertures 23 formed in themovable head 17.

My contemplated compensation of the weight of the platens and associatedparts, as hereinafter explained, of course does not conflict in theleast with the interchangeable construction of such presses, with eitherthe upper or lower head or die movable and the other fixed. In showingthe upper die as movable I therefore do not wish to be held to such anarrangement but have merely selected the more common form and expresslycontemplate the use of the other form Where preferred.

Spaced platens designated generally as 24 are provided within the framebetween the base and the movable head 17 to receive the sheets or boardsand to press and dry them. The platens 24 are hollow and are positionedhorizontally, in a pile, one above the other, throughout the spacebetween the base and the movable head. The platens are movablevertically to vary the spaces between them and are guided by the guidebars 22'.

Hydraulic cylinders 25 through their plungers 26 force downwardly themovable head and thus supply the desired pressure upon the platens and,through them upon The cylinders 25 are per frame member 14, in whichguide plates the rack bars are-tree to slide vertically. The teeth ofthe rack bars 28 are engaged by gear wheels 30, 31, 32 and 33 and 3031', 32 and 33, forming gear chains on opposite sides of the top asshown in Figures 2 and 3. The gear wheels of eachchain are in operativeengagement with the opposite rack bars--28, located at the front andrear of the top.

' The gear wheels 30 and 33, of one chain of gears, are rigidly mountedupon shafts 34 and 35, which are rotatably mounted in bearings in thetop 14. Shafts 34 and 35 extend horizontally through the top and havetheir opposite ends rigidly secured to the gear wheels 30' and 33,respectively, forming parts of the chains of gears located at theopposite side of the top;

The two center gears 31 and 32, 31' and 32', of each chain are idlersand are freely rotatable upon stud shafts 36, 37, 36', 37', secured inthe top. By this arrangement the rack bars 28 are geared together insuch a manner that they must move simultaneously, and as the lower endsof the rack bars are rigidly secured to the movable head 17, the latterwill move uniformly and maintain a horizontal position regardless of thepoint of application of the pressure "applied to the head 17 by any ofthe several plungers 26.

Each of the movable platens is supported by two counterbalancingdevices, which for convenience will be call-ed jacks 38 and which 'arepreferably hydraulic. Each jack consists of a cylinder 39 and a plunger40 which is telescopically mounted in a suitable packing gland 41located at the upper end of the cylinder. The upper end of each plunger40 is provided with a head 42, which in turnmay be secured to the platenby a bolt 43. The jacks are arranged in rows located upon the front andrear sides of the platens.

The lower ends of'the cylinders of each row are connected with a header44 secured upon the base. Each header is provided with a suitable pipeconnection 46 through which pressure may be forced to and from thecylinders, thus completing the equipment of the hydraulic jacks forcounterbalancing the weight of the platens. For lifting the platens intospaced relation to each other, so that sheets of material to be treatedmay be placed between the adjacent platens, push backs 18 are provided.

There are two jack plungers attached to the line of connection betweenthe points of jack support for each platen is vertically in line withthe center of gravity of the platen.

There is a row of jacks similar to those shown in the front elevation,(Figure 1), located upon the rear of the press, as shown in thehorizontal section, (Figure 5) Thus,

the jack plunger whose head is seen at 47 on the front of the machine issecured to the same platen 24 as the plunger whose head is seen at 48,located on the rear of the press, the two being attached atdiametrically opposite points of the latter. The other pairs of ackplungers are attached to the other platens in a like manner and thepressures are so chosen as to resiliently counterbalance, equalize andsupport the respective platens in a balanced horizontal position,whatever the height to which the platens hay e been set.

The jack cylinders 39 and their plungers, as shown in Figure 1, arepreferably of different lengths and. must take care of progressivelydifferent ranges of movement corresponding to and resulting from thepositions objectionable accumulation of pressure which will unduly pressthe lower as compared with the upper sheets. Each platen and associatedparts weighs many thousands of pounds and the sheets are also heavy. Theweights of the sheets vary by hundreds of pounds, but this and any othervariation in the weights to be compensated can be taken care of,whenever the variation becomes serious enough to be in the leastobjectionable, by adjustment of the pressure upon the jacks. practiceeflort is made to avoid variation of more than a pound or two per squareinch in the pressures upon the upper and lower sheets and very muchcloser approaches to equality of pressures can be secured.

Figures 1 and 2 show the movable head 17 in the elevated'position inwhich it is supported by the hydraulic rams 18. The top platen 24' issupported upon the movable head 17 and the other platens 24 aresupported in spaced relation to each other by the counterbalancing jacks38.

The platens are limited in the distances which they may be separatedfrom each other, and also are prevented from tilting by links 49connecting adacent platens.

Pins 50 project from the platens and enter elongated slots 51 in thelinks. The slots in the links are of a selected length so thatengagement of the ends 52 of the slots with the pins will limit thedistance the platens may be separated. .When the platens are movedtoward each other, the links will slide upon thepins to accommodate themovement.

The guide bars 22 are located between two In the best vertical rows ofthe links so that the links are interiorly guided by and will slidealong the sides of the guide bars, thus preventing the platen 24 bplatens from moving horizontally out of vertical alignment. The guidebars 22 are of rectangular cross-section, thus presenting flat surfacestoward the links.

The upper platen 24 is rigidly secured to a filling plate 53, which inturn is secured upon the under surface of the movable head 17. Nextbelow the movable platen 24 is a platen 24 It is connected with theupper pairs of the above mentioned links 49, an the successive movableplatens 24 are connected together by other pairs of links in a similarmanner. T he lower platen 24 is held in a fixed position upon a fillingplate 54, which in turn is secured to the base. No links are needed toconnect the lower platen fastened to the base with the next movableplaten above it, as the push'backs would then strain upwardly againstsuch links. All the other platens will be limited but the links in theextent of their movements toward and away from the platens above andbelow them. The limit of movement of the head takes care of the extentof opening between the two lowermost platens.

The platens may be of any type which can be heated and are here treatedas hollow for the reception of steam, or other heating medium, fordrying the sheets of material which are placed between the platens.

Each platen is provided with an inlet connection 55 and an outlet orexhaust connection 56, and these connections are positioned atdiametrically opposite portions of the platen so that the heating mediumwill pass diagonally through the platen.

Heretofore it has been the practice to arrange the inlet connectionswith the platens vertically in line and attach said connections atcorresponding portions of the adjacent platens. As there is always adrop in temperature between the inlet and outlet connections, the resultof this practice was that the hottest portions of all the platens werelocated directly above and below each other, thus causing an unevendistribution of heat in the remaining portions of the platens. Myinvention provides a more uniform distribution of the 'heat throughoutthe entire pile of platens than did the prior practice, by locating theinlet connections of adjoining platens at different radial positions, orcor- 11ers of the adjacent platens, thus altering the radial locationsof the hottest portions of the successive platens throughout the pile oflatens.

igure 5 shows a platen with an inlet'connection 55 and an outletconnection 56 located at diametrically opposite corners. Figure 6illustrates aplaten which is located immediately below the platen shownin Figure 5. An inlet connection 55 is located on the platen shown inFigure 6, immediately below the exhaust connection of the platen shownin Figure 5 and the platen shown in Fi re 6 has an exhaust connectionlocated immediately below the inlet connection of the platen shown inFigure 5. By thus alternating the inlet connections of the adjacentplatens, the hottest portions of the platens, located near the inletconnections, will be staggered throughout the pile of platens, therebyproviding a nearly uniform distribution of the heat throughout theentire pile of platens.

Manifolds 7 2, 73, 74 and 75 are provided for supplying the heatingmedium to and from the platens 24 through pipes 76 and 77 which aretelescopically mounted to move axially, through suitable packing, in andout within the manifolds and are connected with the platens, thuspermitting the platens'to moved vertically. The manifolds are mountedupon the corners of the base of the press and, with the pipes associatedwith them, are arranged in pairs.

Manifolds 72 and 73 are connected with the platens forming the upperhalf of the pile of platens. The other pair of manifolds 74-and 75 andthe pipes associated with them need not be as high, as they areconnected with the lower half of the pile-of platens. By thisdistribution the manifolds can be made of small size, and can bearranged symmetrically upon the press.

Each manifold consists of a casin having .a central vertical wallforming a aflle 78,

thus forming within the manifolds a suppl chamber 79 and an exhaustchamber 8 Suitable inlet and outlet connections 81 and 82 are providedupon the manifolds and communicate with the chambers to conduct theheating medium to and from a source of supare slidably mounted theindividual inlet and exhaust pipes 84, 84 and 85, 85' having their upperends attached to horizontal pipes 86 and 87 which in turn are connectedwith different platens and form the inlet and exhaust connections of twoadjacent platens.

One of the telescoping pipes 84 is the su ply p pe in Figure 5 andextends into t e supply chamber of the manifold, and the other ipe 85 isthe exhaust pipe and extends into t e exhaust chamber of the manifold.The supply pipe 84 is connected with one of the platens and the exhausti e 85' is connected with the next platen FE igure 6), immediately belowthe platen to which the supply pipe is connected. The supply pipe 84'introduces steam into the platen shown in Figure 6. The pipes are thusarranged in .pairs, each pairextending from different steps or levels ofthe manifolds.

The highest step or level of the manifold will accommodate the longpipes which are required for connection with the platens to the upperportion of the pile, having the greatest movement, and the lower stepswill accommodate the shorter pipes connected with the lower platenshaving less movement.

Two of the manifolds are of relatively higher construction than theother two and cooperate with the platens located at the upper portion ofthe pile. They are located at diametrically opposite corners of theplatens, as shown in Figures 5 and (i. The steam from one circulatesthrough the platen and passes out at the diagonally opposite corner tothe exhaust chamber of the other.

The next lower platen is supplied with steam from the supply chamber ofthe manifold last named and exhausts through the former manifold, thusadmitting steam to the corner of the platen directly below theexhausting corner of the top platen.

The steam passes through the second platen in a diagonal oppositedirection relatively to the direction of travel of the steam in the topplaten, and is exhausted at a corner diagonally opposite to that atwhich the upper platen exhausts.

The other pairs of pipes from the manifolds are connected with theplatens alternately in a similar manner. All of the pipes will slideinto the manifolds for a sufficient distance to permit the platens to bepressed together when the sheets are in place, to assure pressure uponthe thin sheets. inserted between them. Manifolds shown at the righthand side of Figure 1 and the left hand side of Figure 2, are of lowerconstruction than those described and together form a pair located atopposite corners of the press, as shown in Figure 5. These manifolds areconnected with the movable platens in the lower part of the press andwith the bottom fixed platen in a manner similar to the connection ofthe manifolds above described. 4

The operation of my invention is as follows:

Pressure is constantly maintained within the jacks supporting theplatens, the pressure being just suflicient to compensate for the weightof the platens and of their correlated parts.

A pressure medium, preferably water, is admitted from any suitablesource to the four hydraulic rams for lifting the movable head and themotion is transmitted through the links for separating the platens intospaced relation to each other, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The topplaten is elevated by the rams as it is rigidly secured to the underface of the movable head. 7

The lowest platenis stationary, as it is secured upon the base. As theupper platen i s raised, the slack permit-ted by its slotted linkconnection with the next platen is taken up. The lost motion between itand the next platen is then taken up and the next platen for theinsertion and removal of the boards or sheets,

After the sheets have been inserted between the platens, the pressure isreleased from the four rams 18 allowing the movable head 17 to move downupon the platens by gravity. The pressure in the counterbalancing jacks38 is maintained at a sufficient value to equal the'weight of theplatens and their correlated parts (including, permissibly, the weightof the sheet or board which is to be placed upon it). It will thus beseen that the weight of the platens and of their correlated parts willnot be added to the weight or pressure of the movable head which isimparted to the sheets or boards through the platens and the weight ofthe individual sheets or boards dried and pressed can also becounterbalanced.

Any pressure desired can be maintained on the sheets or boards. The deadweight of the movable head may be used. This may be reduced, if desiredby use of partial pressure in the pull back cylinders and on the otherhand, it may and normally will be greatly increased by fluid pressurewithin the main cylinders 25. Whatever pressure is to be applied to thesheets or boards must come from either gravity or from the maincylinders. If from gravity it is caused by the dead weight of themovable head 17 and main cylinder plungers, which may be partiallysupported by the pull backs so as to provide any pressure from zero tothe full weight of the movable head and parts associated therewith. Anypredetermined additional pressure can be applied through the medium ofthe main pressure cylinders.

The platens are heated preferably by steam through the manifolds andtelescoping pipes associated with thelatter and.with the platens, whichpipes are so connected with the different platens that the steam isadmitted at alternate portions of the adjacent platens,

sity due to the counterbalancing of the intervening platens, whereby thesheets or boards located at the top of the pile will be subjected to thesame pressure as those at the lower portion of the pile of platens.

It will be evident that the use of the manifold avoids need of a pit forthe ends of the pipes.

It will be evident that current carrying 10 elements would take theplace of the special steam handling construction if the heating be doneby electricity.

It will be evident that the absolute control of pressures from zero to amaximum available by the use of the hydraulic pressure makes it possibleto secure any extent of compression desired and that the relief from theweight of the individual platens and their associated parts makes theproduct uniform whatever pressure is selected.

It will be further evident that elimination of the weight of theindividual platens makes it possible to use a higher stack of platens ineach individual installation than would otherwise be practical andpermits the platens to be designed with much less necessity forattention to likeness in weight than has previously been advisable.

It will be further evident that the invention an; does not interferewith the use of any special loading devices or other accessories andoffers no complication to free introduction and withdrawal of the sheetsor boards which are pressed and dried.

4 It will be evident that when the movable art, to obtain part or all ofthe benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I,therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonablespirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. The method of separating theplatens of avertically stacked pile of platens within a press and dryer for fiberboard, which consists in individually compensating the weights: of theplatens and in shifting the platens vertically progressively from oneend to the other by a vertically directed pulling "=0 force. V

2. The method of maintaining uniformity of thickness in sheets or boardswhich are pressed and dried between stacked platens which consists inresiliently and individually H5 compensating the pressure upon thesheets sheets of uniform thickness consisting of interposing the sheetsbetween superimposed platens, placing the platens and the sheets undercompression, and supporting the weight of each individual platen torelieve the sheets of the weights of the platens.

5. The method of controlling and unifying pressure upon sheets or boardsduring pressing and drying between stacked platens, which consists inseparately and resiliently supporting the platens to eliminate theirweights and applying pressure by gravity from the top to all of theplatens.

6. The method of controlling and unifying pressure upon sheets or boardsduring pressing and drying between platens, which consists in separatelyand resiliently supporting the platens to eliminate their weight,applying pressure by gravity from the top and adjustably reducing theeffective weight by resilient upward compensating pressure.

7. The method of maintaining uniformity of thickness in sheets or boardswhich are pressed and dried between stacked platens, which consists inindividually supporting the weight of the platens and associated partsin whatever position vertically they occupy, in pulling the platens, oneat a time progressively outwardly beginning at one 7 end of the stack toopen them for receipt of the sheets or boards and in applying the samepressure concurrently to all of the platens from one end of the stackwhile heating the platens.

8. The method of maintaining uniformity of thickness in sheets or boardswhich are pressed and dried between stacked platens, which consists inindividually compensating for the weight of the platens and associatedparts to support their weights in their positions of use, in opening thespace between the platens progressively from one'end of the pile to theother vertically, in inserting the sheetsor boards while the platens areseparated, in closing the platens together upon the sheets or boards andprogressively pressing them by applying vertical pressure betweentheends of the piles and concurrently heating the platens.

9. The method of producing boards or sheets consisting of interposingsheets between hollow platens, placing the platens and sheets undercompression and passing a ill heating medium through the adjacentplatens in opposite directions.

' 10. The method of producing boards or sheets of uniform thicknessconsisting of interposing the sheets between hollow platens arrangedin apile, passing, a heating medium through the adjacent platens in oppositedi-' rections, placing the platens and sheets under compresslon andsupporting the weights of the individual platens to relieve the sheetsof platens arranged one above the other in spaced relation for receivingmaterial between them which is to be operated upon, and counterbalancingmeans associated with each platen arranged for supporting the weight ofthe same.

13. A press having in combination a series of platens arranged one abovethe other for receiving material between them which is to be pressed,and counterbalancing means attached to diametrically opposite portionsof each platen arranged for supporting the weight of the platen.

14. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platenspositioned horizontally in said frame arranged to receive a layer ofmaterial between them, a head movably mounted in the frame for applyingpressure to the series of platens, and counterbalancing means for theindividual platens whereby the pressure applied by the movable head isequally distributed throughout the series of platens.

15. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platenspositioned one above the other and movably mounted within said frame, ahead movably mounted in the frame arranged for applying pressure to theseries of platens, and pressure actuated plungers operatively associatedwith each platen arranged for counterbalancing the weight of eachplaten.

16. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platenspositioned one above the other and movably mounted within said frame, ahead movably mounted in the frame arranged for applying pressure to theseries of platens, pressure actuated plunge-rs arranged in rows locatedupon opposite sides of the platens, each platen being connected todiagonally opposite plungers, one plunger from each opposite rowassociated therewith arranged for individually supporting andcounterbalancing the platens.

17 A press having in combination a frame, a series of platens positionedone above the other and movably mounted within said frame, a headmovably mounted in the frame arranged for applying pressure to theseries of platens, headers mounted upon the frame at opposite sides ofthe series of platens, jack cylinders connected with the headers,plungers slidably mounted in said cylinders, means for attaching eachplaten between two of said plungers located at diametrically oppositepoints of the platen, and connections upon the headers for supplying apressure medium thereto for lifting the platens by means of saidplungers.

. 18. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platenspositioned one above the other and movably mounted within said frame, ahead movably mounted in the frame arranged for applying pressure to theseries of platens, pressure-actuated plungers mounted upon said frame,means located at diametrically opposite points of said platens foroperatively associating the platens between a pair of said plungers forsupporting the platens in equilibrium, and links operatively associatedwith the adjacent platens for limiting the relative separating movementsof the platens.

' 19. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platenspositioned one above the other and movably mounted within. said frame, ahead movably mounted in the frame arranged for applying pressure to theseries of platens, weight counterbalancing means operatively associatedwith the platens, links having elongated slots formed therein, and pinsupon the platens arranged to occupy the slots of the links for slidablyconnecting the links between two adjacent platens and for limiting therelative movement of the platens.

20. A press having in combination a series of platens arranged one abovethe other in spaced relation for receiving material which is to betreated between them, counterbalancing means associated with the platensarranged for supporting the weights of the individual platens, a headpositioned above the platens for applying pressure upon all of theplatens, and lifting means associated with the head for lifting thelatter for reducing the load applied to the platens due to the weightofthe head.

21. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platenspositioned one above. the other and movably mounted within said frame, ahead movably mounted in the frame arranged for applying pressure to theseries of plaens, pressure actuated plungers operatively associated witheach platen arranged for counterbalanciug the weight of each platen, anda pair of pressure actuated plungers assoc ated with said head arrangedfor lifting the head for reducing the weight'of the latter upon theplatens.

22. A base, a top, guides rigidly connecting the base and top, a headslidably mounted upon the guides, a series of platens located bet-weenthe base and said head, weight counterbalancing means for the individualplatens, pressure actuated devices operatively associated with the baseand the head arranged for lifting the head from the platens, andpressure means for moving the head toward the platens.

23. A press having in combination, a series of platens and inlet andexhaust connections upon each platen through which inlets a heatingmedium is admitted to the platens, and said inlet connections upon theadjacent platens located in angularly different relative positions aboutthe platens whereby the holtest portions of the adjacent platens will bestaggered throughout the series of platens.

24. A press having in combination a plurality of platens, said platensbeing of rectangular formation, an inlet connection located adjacent tothe corner of one of said platens for admitting a heating mediumthereto, and an inlet connection located adjacent to a relativelydifferent corner of the next adjacent platen for admitting a heatingmedium to the last. mentioned platen.

25. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platens arrangedin a pile and movably mounted relatively to the frame and to each other,inlet and outlet connections upon the respective platens, pipesconnected with said inlet connections, casings in which said pipes areslidably mounted, and connections upon said casings through which aheating medium is admitted and conveyed through said pipes to theplatens.

26. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platens arrangedin a pile and movably mounted within the frame, said platens being ofhollow formation, inlet and outlet. connections uponeach platen,manifolds located at diametrically opposite portions of said frame,pipes connected with said.

' and movable within the frame, a manifold mounted upon said frame,pipes of various lengths having their lower ends slidably mounted insaid manifold and connected at their upper ends with the platens locatedat different levels, and said manifold constructed in step formation forthe entrance of the short pipes at the low steps and the long pipes atthe high steps.

28. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platens arrangedin a pile and movable within the frame, manifolds mounted upon saidframe at opposite sides of the pile of platens, connections upon saidbetween the platens to which the first mentioned pipes are connected.

29. A press having in combination a frame, a series of platens arrangedin a pile and movable within the frame, manifolds mounted at oppositesides of the pile of platens. each manifold. having a supply chamber andan exhaust chamber formed therein, connections upon said manifoldsthrough whicha heating medium is supplied to said supply chambers andexhausted from said exhaust chambers, supply pipes having theirlowerends slidably mounted in the manifolds and communicating with saidsupply chambers thereof, connections between the upper ends of thesupply pipes of one manifold connected with alternate platens,connections between the upper ends of the supply pipes of the oppositemanifold and the platens interposed between the platens to which thefirst mentioned supply pipes are connected, ex-

haust pipes having their lower ends slidably mounted in said manifoldsand communicating with said exhaust chambers thereof, connectionsbetween the upper ends of the exhaust pipes and the respective platenswith which the supply pipes from the opposite manifold are connected,whereby the heating medium from the supply chamber of one manifold willbe conducted through one platen to the exhaust chamber of the othermanifold located upon the opposite side of the pile of platens and theheating medium will be conducted through the next adjacent platen in areverse direction. a

30. A press having in combination a fixed frame member, a head slidablymounted relatively to the frame member, racks secured to the head atangularly spaced positions and.

gearing operativeiy mounted upon the fixed vmember in operativeengagement with the racks arranged for insuring the ,parallel relationof the head with the frame member.

31. A press having in combination a fixed frame member, a movable head,rack bars secured upon the movable head, guides upon the frame member inwhich the rack bars are slidable vertically, gear wheels rotatablymounted upon the frame member, said gear wheels forming chains of gearwheels located at opposite sides of the frame member, each chain of gearWheels arranged in mesh with two of said rack bars, and a shaftrotatably mounted in the frame member upon which one gear Wheel of eachchain is rigidly secured.

32. A press having in combination a fixed operative engagement with therack bars for insuring the simultaneous movement of all the rack bars,links connected loosely between the head and the next adjacent platen,and links connected between the adjacent platens arranged for limitingthe movement of the platens relatively to each other and to the head.

33. A press having in combination a frame, a head movably mounted uponthe frame, a series of platens arranged in a pile within the frame,means for lifting the head relatively to the platens, counterbalancingdevices upon the frame, means for attaching two of said devices to eachplaten at diametrically opposite points of the latter, and links andconnections between the head and the next platen and between theplatens, to limit separating movement of the platens.

34. A base, a top frame member, vertical guide frame members rigidlysecured to said base and engaging said top member, a head slidablymounted upon the guide members, means mounted upon the top frame memberarranged for applying a downward pressure upon the head, a series ofhollow platens arranged in a pile located between the base and the head,pressure actuated means mounted upon the base and operatively associatedwith the head for lifting the latter relatively to the platens,hydraulic jacks mounted upon the base'arranged for supporting theindividual platens, manifolds upon the base for receiving a heatingmedium from a source of supply, two'of said manifolds located atdiametrically opposite corners of the platens forming a pair ofrelatively high construction, relatively long pipes slidably mounted insaid pair of manifolds and connected with the platens which are locatedat the upper portion of the pile, and two others of the manifoldslocated at the remaining opposite corners of the platens forming a pairof relatively low construction, and relatively short pipes slidablymounted in the last mentioned pair of manifolds and connected with theplatens which are located at the lower portion of the pile.

35. A base, a top frame member, vertical guide frame members rigidlysecured to said base and engaging said top member, a head slidablymounted upon the guide members, means operatively associated with thehead and top frame member for maintaining the head in a horizontalposition, pressure responsive means mounted upon the top frame memberarranged for applying ressure upon the movable head, a series of platensarranged in a pile located between the base and the movable head, linksmounted upon adjacent platens and upon the movable head for limiting thedistance the platens may be separated from each other and from saidhead,

said links arranged to permit the platens to move toward each other,vertical guide bars secured upon the base and engaging the top framemember located at opposite sides of the platens and between which theplatens are movable, pressure-actuated means mounted upon the base andoperatively associated with the movable head for lifting the latterrelatively to the platens, a row of hydraulic jack cylinders mountedupon the base at opposite sides of the latens, plungersslidably mountedin the ack cylinders arranged for supporting the individual platens,inlet and outlet connections upon each platen for the passage of aheating medium, manifolds mounted upon the frame, and pipe connectionsbetween the manifolds and said connections upon the platens.

36. A base, a top frame member, vertical guide frame members rigidlysecured to said base and engaging said top member, a head slidablymounted upon .the guide members,

means operatively associated with the head for lifting the latterrelatively to the platens,

hydraulic jacks mounted upon the base arranged for supporting theindividual platens, manifolds upon the base located at opposite sides ofthe platens for receiving a heating medium from a source of supply, anda series of pipes slidably mounted in said manifolds having theiropposite ends connected with the platens arranged for supplying theheating medium to the latens at different radial portions of thead]acent platens.

HENRI P. L. LAUSSUCQ.

